Four new cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (bird flu) have been confirmed over the weekend as new mandatory housing measures come into force today (November 7).
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) confirmed three of these cases yesterday (Sunday, November 6).
The disease was confirmed in commercial poultry on a second premises near Fakenham, North Norfolk, and on a premises near Reepham, Broadland, Norfolk.
A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone are now in place around each of the premises. All poultry on the premises will be humanely culled.
The H5N1 strain of bird flu was also confirmed in non-commercial and other captive birds on a site near Metheringham, North Kesteven, Lincolnnshire.
A 3km Captive Bird (Monitoring) Controlled Zone is in place around the premises. All birds on the premises will also be humanely culled.
Saturday
One new case of bird flu was confirmed by Defra on Saturday (November 5).
The disease was detected in commercial poultry on an eleventh premises near Dereham, Breckland, Norfolk.
A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone are in place around the premises. All poultry on the premises will be humanely culled.
Mandatory housing measures
Mandatory housing measures for all poultry and captive birds will come into force across all areas of England today in an effort to protect flocks from the spread of bird flu from wild birds.
The measures legally require all bird keepers to keep their birds indoors and to follow stringent biosecurity measures.
It will extend the mandatory housing measures that were already in force in the areas with high concentrations of the disease – Suffolk, Norfolk and parts of Essex – to the whole of England.
The decision to introduce these measures was made by the UK’s chief veterinary officer, Christine Middlemiss, after the national risk of bird flu in wild birds was increased to ‘very high‘.
“The risk of kept birds being exposed to disease has reached a point where it is now necessary for all birds to be housed until further notice,” she said.
“This decision has not been taken lightly, but is the best way to protect your birds from this highly infectious disease.”
